


Fox?

by Fangirl_Deluxe14



Category: NCIS
Genre: Alternate Universe - Shapeshifters, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Competent Tony DiNozzo, Foxes, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-28
Updated: 2018-06-13
Packaged: 2019-03-25 04:12:17
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 16
Words: 19,438
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13826214
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fangirl_Deluxe14/pseuds/Fangirl_Deluxe14
Summary: Tony and Gibbs find out something important about each other.  How important is up to them.





	1. The Reveal

**Author's Note:**

> The fox colors and names were found here: http://img01.deviantart.net/3a46/i/2012/057/b/7/red_fox_pelt_chart_by_skinnedfawx-d4r4kj7.png

Tony stepped into Gibbs’s house in the middle of the night, he couldn't sleep.  He hadn't slept well for months, not since the bombing of NCIS headquarters.  But now, with Harper Dearing dead, he should have been able to relax.  Yet here he was, standing right inside Gibbs’s front door at 2 AM, not able to sleep.  He toed off his shoes, wanting to soften his steps in case Gibbs was actually asleep, although he doubted.  He checked the living room, but there were no blankets on the couch.  There wasn't a light on in the basement, which ruled out that as a possible spot for Gibbs to be.  Upstairs it was then.

 

 Scaling the stairs quietly, Tony looked around carefully, not wanting to be met with a gun in his face.  He saw that the first door to the left was ajar, and he edged it open.  The master bedroom.  The sheets on the bed were ruffled and the top blanket was bunched up in a ball in the middle of the bed.  Very un-Gibbs.  Tony slowly stepped into the room, only to freeze as the ball of blankets moved and revealed a… Silver fox. Wait, what?!  The fox in question stretched out and then realized there were someone else there.  Its head turned towards Tony and a pair of icy blue eyes met frozen green ones.  Tony swallowed and watched the fox. There was something familiar about those eyes.  He knew them.

 

 The fox itself jumped off the bed and padded towards Tony, seemingly a bit unsteady on four paws.  Reaching Tony, it rubbed against his leg as it passed with an air of familiarity.  It brushed out into the hall and into the bathroom, the door closing.  A few minutes later, Tony still frozen in place in the bedroom, Gibbs emerged from the bathroom, wearing only a pair of sweatpants.

 

 Tony blinked at his boss.  “Boss?  Where were you?”  His eyes had seemingly locked themselves on Gibbs's bare chest.

 

 “What’re you doing in my house in the middle of the night, sneaking around?” Gibbs countered, going over to the bed.

 

 “Couldn't sleep.  Wanted to check on you, see that you were okay. Now answer my question.”  Tony followed Gibbs's movements, unable to keep his eyes off of the man.

 

 “Here. Sleeping. Until you woke me.” Gibbs lay down on the bed, stretching out on his back.  Tony stepped closer, his eyes narrowing.  “Nobody was here when I came, boss.  Just this… Fox.” He said, now thinking he might have imagined it.  Unless.. No, he couldn't afford to hope like that just yet.

 

 “For god’s sake, DiNozzo, use your brain, you're an investigator”, Gibbs looked at him, Tony met his eyes, and suddenly it clicked.  The eyes.  The familiarity.  Gibbs had to be...

 

 “You're the fox.  A fox shifter.” Tony stepped over to the edge of the bed, looking down at Gibbs.  “How long have you known you were one?  How come you haven't told any of us?” 

 

 “I was thirteen the first time I shifted.  And it's not exactly the thing I burst out with.  Even you call me a functional mute, and you expect me to come out with a bizarre thing like this?”  Gibbs asked incredulously.  He did notice that Tony used the word shifter like only the ones who knew intimately about his kind, or were one, did.  Tony shook his head and ran a hand through his hair.  “Am I dreaming? Tell me I'm dreaming, boss.”

 

 “Sorry, DiNozzo, you're not.” Gibbs sat up and looked at his senior agent, watching several emotions fleet across his face at once.  Confusion. Then realization.  Then… Hope. Adoration.

 

 Suddenly Tony turned and, as his back was turned to Gibbs, a light shone around him, engulfing him and morphing him into an animal.  Clothes dropped to the ground and the animal emerged from the heap.  A fox.  A pearl platinum fox, with pale gray fur, bordering on white.  The white fox turned, its tail held high, and jumped onto the bed, climbing on top of Gibbs.

 

 The senior agent watched in awe as the fox approached him and jumped onto the bed.  “Tony, why didn’t you… Hold on, you don’t have to tell me.  Just don't leave.”  Gibbs sat up further on the bed, and the gray-white fox settled on his thighs, laying down with the bushy tail curled around it.  Its head, Tony’s head, turned towards Gibbs and fixed its strikingly green eyes on icy blues.  

 

 Gibbs moved his hand and placed it on Tony’s fur, slowly laying it on the back of Tony’s head, running his hand down his neck and back, relishing in the soft contact.  Gibbs continued petting the fox, not noticing that it relaxed and fell asleep.  When he eventually did, a soft glow appeared around him as he too shifted.  The silver fox curled protectively around the pearl platinum and drifted off.


	2. The Kiss

 The next morning Tony woke feeling better, safer and more relaxed than he thought he’d ever felt.  He stretched out and realized three things. One, he was still a fox. It was rare that he shifted during the night, but even rarer that he’d actually gone to sleep as one.  He’d expected to shift back to human while he slept. Two, he was in Gibbs’ house, Gibbs' bed. Last night was fuzzy, he didn’t really remember what he’d done after leaving his apartment. Three, there was another fox curled in bed with him.  Around him. Well, it had been curled around him until he’d stretched. Now it too stretched out and opened its eyes, the icy blue eyes of the man Tony called his boss meeting his own. Tony startled slightly and moved back, but the dark tail entangled with his own light one stopped him.  

 

 Tony looked at Gibbs the fox for a moment before nosing his way into the shadows of the blanket.  The blanket hid him as he shifted to human, and soon the brunet poked his head out and looked at the fox.  “Morning, boss.”

 

 Another light and suddenly Gibbs was sitting on the bed, naked and unashamed about it.  He'd never been a shy man. “Not your boss here, Tony. Not now”, he said quietly, watching Tony’s face.  “Just Jethro.” Tony nodded softly, slowly shifting out of bed and going over to his discarded clothes.

 

 “So it's true.  You're like me. I mean, there were stories of foxes, others.  Other packs. But I always thought I'd be the only one in DC, and I certainly never thought there'd be another at NCIS.  Do you have it after your dad or your mom?” Tony asked as he got dressed, bending over with his back to Gibbs, unknowingly pushing his ass out towards the older man, who was watching him.

 

 “Both.  Mom was a pearl, dad's a fire and ice.  Don't know how that makes me a silver, though.  Probably someone a few generations back.” Gibbs watched Tony, his eyes focusing on his ass.   _ Jethro, stop it. He's your subordinate.  You can't make a move, even if he's a shifter too.  _  Tony nodded as he straightened back up, pulling his shirt over his head before pulling up his jeans.  No underwear, Gibbs' brain supplied unhelpfully. He grabbed the blanket Tony had been hiding under and moved it over himself to give himself some sort of modesty.

 

 “I got it from my mom.  She was a pearl platinum, like me.” Tony turned back around and went back to Gibbs, sitting on the edge of the bed by Gibbs' feet.  “She wanted to see me shift once before she died. I did it there in the hospital for the first time, at 8. She died before I could shift back.” He looked down at his hands.  “I hid under the bed to get dressed again while the doctors came in and tried to save her.” He whispered. “The next time I shifted was after I'd started working with you. Woke up one morning to find myself as a fox.  Doesn't happen anymore, it was just my body telling me I have to acknowledge this part of me as well. Maybe it was reacting to having another shifter so close, I don’t know. Figuring it was finally time to move on, I began shifting more.  Did it at home behind closed curtains. Never showed anyone apart from my mom, though. Before now.” 

 

 “Dad always told me that you could only shift in front of the people you love”, Gibbs said softly. “Other times you'd have to be in extreme distress or emotional instability, to shift in front of humans.”  He knew exactly what he was implying with his statement and hoped Tony would feel it too. He kept his eyes on Tony's head as said head snapped up, green eyes locked on blue.  “The people I love?” The younger man whispered.

 

 Gibbs nodded softly, reaching forward and cupping Tony's cheek.  “Yeah. Love, Tony.” He whispered, leaning forward as his thumb rubbed over Tony's bottom lip slowly.  He pushed forward and captured Tony’s lips with his own, carefully, hesitantly and tenderly.

 

 Tony sat there frozen for a moment.  Gibbs, his boss, his friend, the man he'd loved for years, was kissing him. When Gibbs had said love, he could hardly believe it.   _ It couldn't be _ , he thought.  But it was. Suddenly he came to his senses and kissed back, exploring the feeling of Gibbs’ lips on his own.  And sparks flew. Tony had never felt a kiss that full of love, of life, before. He wrapped his arms around Gibbs' neck and pulled himself closer, twisting his torso so he could get closer.

 

 Panting, they broke apart and looked into each other's eyes.  “Tone…” The silver-haired man whispered as Tony shifted, lifting his legs onto the bed and straddling Gibbs’ lap.  “Jethro…” Tony answered just as quietly, leaning closer to him and kissing him again. It was addicting, the feeling of Jethro's lips on his own.

 

 Jethro wrapped his arms around Tony's waist and broke the kiss, just holding him with closed eyes.  “Don't wanna rush things, Tone. We just found out about this, we shouldn't jump into things”, he whispered softly into his ear.

 

 “Me neither, Jethro.  Can I stay with you for a few days?  I slept better last night than I have since before the explosion.”

 

 “Me too.  Stay”, Jethro said immediately.  “Please.” He was about to say something more when his phone rang.  He sighed and pulled away, reaching for his phone and picking up.

 

 “Yeah, Gibbs?”

 

 “Boss, do you know where Tony is? He’s not answering his cell.  And neither of you are at work. Are you okay?” McGee was on the other line, and he did sound pretty worried.

 

 “He’s with me, he’s fine, McGee.  We’re on our way”, Gibbs answered curtly and hung up, going over to his dresser.  “DiNozzo, you got your gun and badge?” He asked as he grabbed clothes, getting dressed quickly.  “And where’s your phone?”

 

 “It’s all in my car, Gibbs”, Tony answered as he stood.  “I left it there when I came last night. Didn't think I'd stay the night like I did”, he admitted.  “I'll head to work. See you there, boss.” He smiled slightly as he trudged down the stairs. Tony put on his coat and shoes and headed out to his car, getting in and starting it.  Looking up, he met Gibbs’ eyes as the older man stood in the doorway, his coat hanging over his arm as he too was ready to head out. They shared a smile as Tony backed out of the driveway and turned the car towards the Navy Yard.

 

 But even though Tony left before Gibbs, he arrived after him and they ended up in the elevator together.  They stood in silence, at least until Tony felt a hand on the back of his neck, stroking. Petting, he realized.  His eyes closed and he allowed himself to lean into the touch. “Thank you, Jethro”, he whispered and only pulled away as the elevator doors were about to open. He only barely caught the faint smile on Gibbs' lips before it disappeared and the man they belonged to walked out of the elevator.  

 

 Tony followed half a step behind, like always, and went to his desk without looking at the rest of the team. It wasn't unusual for him to be quiet nowadays, he could be silent for long periods of time.  Something in him had changed after the explosion, it had changed all of them. Even so, McGee and Ziva were a bit curious as to why Tony didn't even try to give Gibbs an apology for being late.

 

 “So, Tony, fun night?” Ziva teased with a grin, she had missed Tony’s antics.  She just wanted things to get back to normal and she wanted to hear him tease her back.

 

 “If you count nightmare-ridden dreams and insomnia for a fun night, then yeah.  I had a really good night.” Tony’s answer was harsh and sharp, and way more honest than any of them were used to.  Ziva flinched and looked down at her computer, whilst McGee stared at Tony. Gibbs looked up at the senior field agent as well, eyes meeting Tony’s and seeing the pain in those eyes that used to be happy and carefree.

 

 “Boss, what about you?” McGee turned his attention to Gibbs.  In all the years he had worked for the man, not once had Gibbs been late.

 

 “McGee, get to work. You have reports to write”, Gibbs barked, glaring at the junior agent.  Tim swallowed and looked down at his computer screen, typing rapidly. Gibbs shared another look with Tony and enjoyed seeing the familiar smirk and eye roll.  Maybe things would be okay after all.


	3. The Visitor

After a slow day of report writing and filing, Gibbs sent the team home on time for once.  He went with the three agents in the elevator, standing behind them and keeping his eye on his SiC.  Without the team noticing, Gibbs reached out and placed his hand on the small of Tony’s back. He felt some of the tension leave the younger man and lean into his touch, and a small smile played across his lips.

 

 Gibbs watched his team file into the garage and head to their cars, and he too went to his truck, getting in and driving off.  He didn’t rush, instead driving the actual speed limit for once. He arrived at his house and went inside, getting out steaks and beer before going to the fireplace, lighting it.  He sat in front of the fire as he waited for Tony to arrive.

 

 Tony smiled as he entered the house, letting the door click shut behind him as he removed his shoes and hung his coat on the rack. His smile widened when he saw Gibbs grilling steaks in front of the fireplace, and he moved to sit down on the couch.  “Thank you, Jethro.”

 

Gibbs took the steaks out of the fire and moved them onto the plates, handing one to Tony.  He sat next to the other man and grabbed the offered beer with a nod and a smile. Tony leaned over and pressed his lips against Gibbs’ cheek before leaning on him.  They ate and drank in a comfortable silence, neither man finding words important.

 

 Dishes were cleaned in the same silence before both men retreated upstairs.  Jethro used the bathroom first and left as a fox, climbing onto the bed and curling up as he waited for the younger fox to join him.  Tony returned in a pair of Jethro's sweatpants and turned out the light before shifting and joining Jethro on the bed. The silver and the pearl platinum curled around each other, snouts almost touching.  The night and the winds lulled the two to sleep, allowing them to rest. Tomorrow was Saturday, they weren’t on call, and they could finally relax.

 

*~*~*~*~*

 

 Their slow morning, enjoyed by cuddling as foxes and savouring in the closeness, was, however, cut short by a visit from Abby.  “Gibbs! Are you here?” She called as she closed the door behind her, startling the two foxes upstairs. The silver shifter slid out of bed at the same time as he shifted, and he got dressed before going down to greet Abby.  The white fox trailed after him and stopped at the top of the stairs, out of view from downstairs as Jethro went into the hall, greeting Abby.

 

 “Abbs, what’re you doing here?  It's Saturday, we’re not on call”, Gibbs said, looking at her.

 

 “I wanted to come see if you were okay, if you needed company.  I mean, you’re always alone and I didn’t want you to be and-” Abby hugged him, her chin resting on Gibbs’ shoulder as she sighed, cutting herself off.

 

 Tony the fox stepped forward slowly, extremely weary and not wanting to catch Abby’s attention.  He knew that if she saw him right now, he’d never get out of there. Instead, he retreated to the bedroom and shifted, getting dressed in some of Gibbs’ clothes, choosing a comfy red USMC hoodie and a pair of loose jeans.  He then walked downstairs to say hi.

 

 “He’s not alone, Abby”, Tony said softly, smiling kindly at her.  “I’m here with him.”

 

 “Tony! What are you doing here?” Abby pulled away from Gibbs and hugged the dark-haired man tightly.

 

 “The boss is letting me stay with him for a few days.  Hasn't been the best of times since you-know-what. The apartment was too empty.” Tony wasn't lying, the apartment felt too big for him now, and Gibbs’ house smelt like home to him like nothing had since his mom died.  He pulled away from Abby and smiled softly at her. “I’m okay, Abby.”

 

 “Okay, Tony-man, if you say so.  Hey, do you guys have enough food? Because if not, I can go out and get groceries for you.  Let you two be alone for a few hours...” Abby trailed off and grinned at them. Tony sputtered.  “Abby, what are you on about?” Abby laughed. “Oh, come on, Tony, you’re wearing Gibbs’ clothes.  Why haven’t you guys told me you’re together?”

 

 “Because we’re not”, Gibbs said. The ‘technically’ and the ‘yet’ remained unspoken for obvious reasons.  “Tony’s clothes are in the wash, didn’t have anything else with him.” He gave Tony a half-smile, his gaze moving down the younger man’s body and taking in his outfit appreciatively.  Gibbs could get used to seeing Tony in his clothes, he thought to himself before turning his attention back to Abby.

 

 Abby looked between them.  “There’s something you’re not telling me”, she insisted.  “And I am going to find out what it is.” Tony shared a look with Gibbs.  “Guess rule 4 just went out the window, huh, Gibbs?” Tony let out a slight chuckle as he looked at Abby.  “You’re right, there is something we are hiding from you, Abby”, he continued, stepping away from the other two.  “I’ll be back soon, just need to get something from upstairs.” With that, Tony disappeared up the stairs, and Gibbs led Abby into the living room and made her sit down on the couch.

 

 The house was silent until the two in the living room heard tiny footsteps walk down the stairs and into the room.  Abby turned her head towards the sound and gasped as she spotted the pearl platinum fox walking towards the couch, its head bent down to conceal the color of its eyes and its tail swaying behind it.  Tony didn't want Abby to recognize his eyes until he was safely settled on the couch.

 

 Abby watched in awe as the fox walked towards them, and she stood to go over to it, but Gibbs' hand on her arm and the growl from the fox stopped her.  She watched the fox’s ears fall flat against its head and look at her with striking, green eyes. After the goth had taken her seat once more, the fox calmed and walked towards Gibbs, allowing the silver-haired man to lift him up into his lap.  The white fox curled up contently in Gibbs' lap and relaxed, its long and fluffy tail curling around it as its eyes slid shut.

 

 Gibbs began petting Tony's soft fur gently.  “You're the first other than us who knows, Abby.” He said softly to the woman next to him.  “You've got to keep this secret for us.”

 

 “That you have a pet fox?  Gibbs, that's so cool!” Abby looked between Gibbs and the fox, focusing on the fox when it growled at being called a pet.  “Woah. I don't think it likes me a lot, Gibbs.” She pouted.

 

 Gibbs sighed softly and leaned down to Tony's ear.  “Be nice to her, Tone, she's a friend”, he whispered in his ear. Tony looked up at him with a soft growl, he didn't want anyone but Gibbs to touch him in his fox form.  Gibbs sighed, but nodded. “Okay, Tony, I know”, he said as he lay his hand on the back of Tony's neck, thumb stroking under the fox's head. Abby's eyes widened. “The fox is named Tony? Like our Tony, Tony?”

 

 Gibbs looked at her and nodded once.  “He's a shifter. So am I. We're fox shifters.  This  _ is  _ ‘our’ Tony.”  He watched as the information processed in Abby's mind before the thoughts settled and her facial expressions calmed.  “Shifters are actually real? I thought it was just some old tale my nana used to tell me, like vampires and werewolves.”

 

 “Not just a tale, Abbs.  Look at his eyes. They’re Tony’s eyes.”

 

 “Wait, how’d you get to know Tony was also a shifter? Or he know you’re one?”  Once again Abby's eyes fleeted between Gibbs and Tony, who was now looking at her as well.

 

 “Two nights ago, after I killed Dearing, Tony came to the house and found me as a fox upstairs, in bed, asleep.  He showed me his fox and he stayed the night. Like he did last night. Two foxes tend to curl up together and be drawn to each other, no matter what kind of bond it is.  I think we both sensed it back in Baltimore, but didn't do anything because we weren't sure. How much did you hear from your grandma, Abbs?” Gibbs never took his eyes off Abby, yet he kept petting Tony, who was now more relaxed.  

 

 “Not much, just that they were usually secluded people and that they didn’t usually show their fox selves to humans”, Abby said softly.

 

 “That’s right, in generations past most foxes have stayed in their own communities, but in the past few decades we have ventured out into the human communities to find love.  Less inbreeding too. And some couples, like my parents, just moved into the human world to get me away from the other foxes.”

 

 Abby nodded as she listened to him.  “But… If this really is Tony, why won’t he let me touch him?  I mean, he’s always been really huggy.”

 

 “Shifters very rarely show humans their fox forms, Abby”, Gibbs explained.  “You’re lucky he let you see him like this at all. I feel honored that he allows me to pet him and hold him, but I guess I took the first step when he saw me as a fox, as I rubbed against his calf when I passed him.  Shifters are very protective in this form, and only allow mates and close pack members to be close.”

 

 Gibbs smiled softly down at the fox, who met his gaze and sat up before climbing up his chest. Tony the fox rested his snout on Gibbs' shoulder and his paws on his chest, and Gibbs' left arm wrapped around Tony to hold him steady.  “I don't think you've known, actually known, about foxes for long enough to be considered close pack for Tony or myself.” He said quietly. “Sorry, Abbs. Pass me the blanket so Tony can shift back without being completely naked for you to leer at?”  

 

 Abby nodded softly and passed him a blanket.  The blanket was wrapped around the fox, and the goth shielded her eyes as a white light appeared.  The light faded after a moment. Abby opened her eyes and was a bit shocked when she saw the naked Tony, covered by the blanket and sitting in Gibbs’ lap with a blush on his face.  The brunet pulled the blanket tighter around himself before looking at the goth.

 

 “Gibbs is right.  I don’t consider you pack yet.  But I will, just give me time to let you in.  You’ll know when I’m ready to accept you into our pack.”  Tony carefully shuffled out of Gibbs’ lap and sat next to them, the blanket pooled around his waist and in his lap.  Abby stood. “Okay, you guys. Any groceries you guys need or should I just leave so you two can figure out stuff on your own? And, maybe, get some clothes on”, she gestured to Tony as she moved towards the hall.

 

 “Nah, Abbs, we’re good.  Right, Tony?” Gibbs looked over at Tony with a slight smile.  Tony nodded. “Yeah, we’re good. Thanks for dropping by, though, Abby.”

 

 Abby nodded as she grabbed her coat.  “Okay, guys. Bye! And take care of each other, okay?  No fox fighting”, she teased as she left, closing the door behind her.  Tony and Gibbs looked at each other. “Think she’s okay, Jethro?” Tony asked, glancing towards the hall before their eyes met once more and they started laughing.

 

 “Yeah, she’s okay, Tone.  Now, you gonna go get dressed or are you going to shift again?  Because it’s not hot enough here for you to stay like that.”

 

 “But Jeth, am I not hot enough?” Tony teased with a grin before he shifted again and the gray fox jumped into Jethro’s lap, its tail almost wagging as he looked up at the senior agent.  Jethro let out a chuckle and grabbed Tony, holding him in front of himself by the scruff of his neck. 

 

 “You’re plenty hot, Tone, but if you’re around me naked too much, I’m not going to be able to take things slow with you”, Jethro grinned as he set the fox down in his lap.  Only to have Tony rise up on his hind paws and lick his face with a fox grin before said fox turned and jumped out of Jethro’s lap to strut to the kitchen, the white tail standing straight up.

 

 Jethro shook his head and smiled as he stood and followed the fox into the kitchen, seeing it stand in front of the fridge.  He stepped forward, Tony ending up between Gibbs’ legs as the man opened the fridge door.

 

“Why don’t you go back upstairs and get dressed while I make us breakfast?” Gibbs suggested, looking down between his legs at the fox, who was rapidly disappearing towards the stairs.  _  I'll take that as a will do. _


	4. The Cabin

 Tony was halfway up the stairs when he shifted and walked the rest of the way as a human.  He grabbed the abandoned clothes and put them back on. Something about Jethro’s clothes soothed him.  They had an underlying scent of home to them, and they had an air of familiarity that only another shifter could carry with them.  Tony knew he should have realized it sooner, that Jethro was like him. That they belonged together in ways neither of them had first recognized.

 

 He went back downstairs just as Jethro was flipping the eggs and bacon onto plates before bringing them to the table.  Jethro smiled at Tony as he sat down.

 

 “Like your clothes on me”, he said casually.  Tony chuckled and shook his head softly. “Possessive much already?”

 

 “Nah, not a new thing.  Always been possessive of you, Tony.  Thought you woulda noticed that before now”, Jethro told him with a slight smirk.

 

 “That why you always were so pissy about me going undercover or when I was out Afloat?” 

 

 “Yeah.  I really did try to get you back off that ship, Tone.  I did my best to get you home.” Jethro looked into his eyes, his expression once again serious.

 

 “Hey, Jethro, you said something about fox shifters shifting during periods of emotional instability or extreme distress”, Tony interrupted, changing the subject.  “I think I felt it during the bombing, when I was locked in the elevator with Ziva. My body wanted to shift, to cower in a corner. But I didn’t, I had to keep myself human, for Ziva.  If I shifted, she could have been thinking she had gone mad and done something really crazy. And I knew I couldn’t do that to her.”

 

 “You did good, Tony.” Jethro’s gaze softened and he reached out to lightly stroke Tony’s hair.  “Staying human in a situation like that isn’t easy.”

 

 Tony leaned into his touch, closing his eyes softly.  “Can you tell me more about shifters? You grew up among them.”

 

 Jethro nodded softly.  “What do you want to know?”

 

 “Everything.  How it is to get to grow up among other shifters, for one.  How is it to be able to shift freely within a community and being able to go out of the house as a fox.  I’ve never felt grass under my paws. It’s always carpet or wooden floors or tiles.”

 

 “I grew up in a mostly human community, with only my parents as other shifters.  My mom never got to see me shift, and I honestly think dad was relieved I wasn’t a pearl like her - too many bad memories.  So I can’t say how it would be to shift freely in a town of shifters, but I must assume that it feels like freedom. Sometimes I shifted and went into the garden behind our house.  Still do if things get really rough. To me, grass under my paws feels like home.”

 

 Tony listened, his eyes opening once more to watch Jethro.  “Could I maybe try shifting in your backyard once? Just to feel grass?”

 

 “I can do you one better.  I can take you to the woods not too far from here, and we can run freely among the trees.  It’s something I don’t do enough. Could use a partner.” Jethro smiled at the way Tony’s face lit up at the idea.  The silver shifter began to eat, motioning for the younger one to do the same. They ate their meal in silence, and Tony stood to wash the dishes after they had both finished.

 

 “Do you think we could head out today?  Unless you want us to do anything else, of course”, Tony asked as he washed their dishes.

 

 “We just need to stop by your place for some clothes, and then we can head out”, Jethro answered as he rose, walking over to the younger shifter.  He brought his plate and slipped it into the sink, using that as an excuse to wrap his arm around Tony’s waist. Tony closed his eyes as he leaned back against Jethro, his head tipped back onto his shoulder.  Two heads turned towards each other and lips met briefly before the silver shifter pulled away slowly.

 

 “Finish up and get your coat.  I’ll get what we need”, Jethro whispered, leaning down and pressing a kiss to the back of Tony’s neck before leaving the kitchen.  The young shifter heard Jethro rummage through the basement as he finished the dishes. Footsteps were heard on the stairs and a figure weighed down by bags could have been spotted passing the kitchen doorway on the way to the car.

 

 Tony finished up with the dishes and put away everything.  He went up to the master bedroom to take his clothes with him back to the apartment.  He gathered them into his bag and went downstairs to find Jethro with his coat and shoes already on.  Tony caught up soon after, his shoes and jacket on and he trailed after Jethro out the door. 

 

 Jethro got into the driver’s seat and started the car, driving off at the actual speed limit, a factor that helped Tony relax as his mind began to race.   _ What am I actually doing?  I’ve known Jethro is a shifter for little more than a day, and now I’m going with him into the forest to run as a fox.  The first time I’ll be outside as a fox. _  He was eager, but at the same time anxious.  He didn’t know what to expect out there, but with Jethro by his side, he knew he could handle anything thrown into his lap.

 

*~*~*~*~*

 

 They had been driving for an hour and a half when Jethro turned off the main road down into the forest.  The road was bumpy and worked to dislodge Tony from his thoughts and refocus on his surroundings. Jethro drove for another half hour until they reached a secluded cabin.   _ Jethro’s cabin, _ Tony suddenly realized.  He’d heard about it, but hadn’t been there before.

 

 “You’ve used your cabin to fox around unnoticed?” He asked, looking over at the silver-haired shifter, who nodded.  

 

 “Yes, I built it so I could go up here and have a place to stay if I was out too long or was too tired to drive back home.”

 

 The two men got out of the car.  Tony grabbed their bags while Gibbs went inside the cabin to fix some things for them. When Tony entered, he realized there were a lot of things he hadn’t known about his boss, excluding the fact that he was a shifter.  The cabin itself was sparsely decorated, with a bed, a chair, a fireplace, and in the far corner, a dog bed. Tony found himself staring at it as Jethro moved around him.

  
 “Sometimes I feel it’s easier to sleep as a fox there than attempt to get into bed”, Jethro explained with a light shrug.  Tony nodded and moved, helping Jethro get things sorted out. He aired out the dusty blankets and the dog( _ fox _ ) bed, shaking them outside to get rid of the dust.  The two men worked together to get the cabin habitable once more.


	5. The Foxes

 Jethro was the one to speak up first after they were done.

 

 “Do you want to eat before we shift and head out?” He asked, moving over to the cooler bag he’d brought, with food and drink so they were set for far longer than they had planned to stay.  Tony nodded and moved over to help himself to a sandwich. He smiled at Jethro as the two men sat next to each other on the bed, so reminiscent of how they sat on the couch in Jethro’s living room.

 

 They ate in silence, and there was no use for words as they undressed.  Clothes were folded and laid on the bed, before a pair of lights appeared.  The silver fox and the pearl platinum stepped out of the cabin side by side.  The silver shifter closed the door with his nose and front paws while the paler fox stepped down from the porch and finally took his first steps on the forest floor.

 

 Tony was amazed.  He’d never thought he would feel anything else than carpet or hardwood flooring under his paws, and once he felt gravel and grass under him, his only thought was  _ I have to get Jethro to take me back out here sometime _ .  He walked slowly at first, before he got more comfortable with the ground under his paws and he moved faster.  By that time the silver fox had caught up with him, before suddenly taking off into a run.

 

 Jethro shot off like a lightning bolt towards the trees, letting out a sharp bark aimed at Tony to get him to follow.  The pale fox barked back and ran after the silver fox, following the dark furred creature into the woods.

 

 Over roots and rocks, under branches and around trees they ran, the white fox just a little slower than its partner.  The silver fox noticed and slowed to allow the other to catch up. Both foxes had grins on their faces as they ran, enjoying the fresh air and freedom they had.  However, both foxes hid under a bush when they reached a path and heard footsteps and voices. The voices were laughing and loud, not caring to be silent as they thought they were alone.

 

 “I just wish we’d see some animals on our walk, James”, the female voice said, her voice lilted to a whine.  

 

 “Maybe we would, if you weren’t so loud, Hannah”, the man, James, answered, more muted, but still tender.  Tony, curious as ever, poked his snout out of the bush to look up at the couple. He tried to be quick and duck back away, but Hannah had seen him.

 

 “James, there’s something under the bush!” She said excitedly, pointing to the bush.  The foxes looked at each other before they moved, running away from the couple, making sure that they stayed hidden until they were out of sight and hearing of them.  They soon reached the cabin and shifted to walk inside. They wrapped blankets around themselves and sat on the bed before looking at each other, before both shifters broke out into laughter.

 

 “You know that James will never believe her”, Tony said between laughs.  “That was the most fun I’ve had in years, Jethro.” He grinned and leaned over, kissing Jethro’s cheek swiftly before pulling away.

 

 The older shifter laughed as well, his laugh a bit more controlled than Tony’s, but still full of happiness.  Jethro leaned back to rest on the wall, his eyes sliding shut. “And that makes it so much better”, he mumbled, reaching out his arm for the younger shifter.  Said shifter curled into Jethro’s side and closed his eyes, relaxing as he rested his head on Jethro’s shoulder.

 

 They stayed like that for a while, contently curled up with each other in a comfortable silence.  Suddenly the silence was broken with a rumble from Tony’s stomach, causing him to blush and Jethro to let out a chuckle.

 

 “Alright, I get it, we need to eat something”, he said as he disentangled himself from Tony and stood, going over to their discarded clothes and getting dressed.  Jethro started a fire in the fireplace and then went over to the cooler, taking out two steaks. The younger shifter grinned and moved out of bed to sit next to Jethro on the floor while the older man cooked the steaks in the fireplace.  Tony shifted and the pearl platinum fox curled up in Jethro’s lap, prompting the man to move one hand to his back and pet him slowly. Jethro was glad Tony was able to relax so much with him and not be hesitant to be affectionate, especially when he himself weren’t the type to initiate contact like that.

 

 After they had eaten their dinner, they didn’t move from in front of the fireplace.  Instead they used the blankets and created a small nest for themselves inside the fox bed that Tony had moved in front of the fire.  The two foxes curled up with each other and relaxed, falling asleep to the dying fire.

 

*~*~*~*~*

 

 The next morning the two ate breakfast before deciding to go for another run.  They ran in the woods for around an hour and a half before returning to the cabin and packing up their things to head back into town.

 

 “Want me to drop you off at your apartment?” Jethro asked Tony as the two men got into the car.

 

 “My car is still at your place, Jeth”, Tony reminded him with a soft smile.  “Should we have an early dinner when we get there? After that I can head home.”  Jethro ducked his head and started the car. “Right, yeah. Of course we can. Anything we need to buy for this dinner?” He asked instead, driving back out towards the city.

 

 “Yeah, can we stop by a grocery store so I can pick up what I need?  Dinner is my treat tonight, Jethro.” Tony smiled as he leaned back in his seat, he felt loose-limbed and relaxed in a way he hadn’t felt in a very long time.


	6. The Dinner

 The drive was spent in companionable silence, with nothing out of the ordinary on their way.  Tony insisted on going alone into the store, telling Jethro that he wanted dinner to be a surprise and going shopping with him would ruin it.  The silver shifter didn’t argue and stayed in the car, shaking his head slightly at Tony’s antics. He couldn’t keep the fond smile off his face, however, no matter how hard he tried.  The smile stayed on his face as he drove them back to his house.

 

 The two shifters emptied the car, Jethro taking the things they’d brought home from the cabin and Tony taking the groceries.  The older shifter unlocked the door and went upstairs with his bags, while the younger went to the kitchen, beginning to cook.  He felt relaxed and content in Jethro's house, and it wasn't hard for him to get settled in the kitchen.

 

 Jethro himself unpacked his things in the bedroom before going down into the kitchen, stopping in the doorway to watch the young man cook.  The radio was on and Tony was dancing along to the rock beat, his head motions making it obvious he was lip syncing. The older shifter chuckled as he watched his lover,  _ his mate _ , his brain insisted.  Jethro shook his head and stepped into the kitchen, placing his hands on Tony’s hips as he stood behind the taller man.  Tony responded by leaning back on him and turning his head, placing a kiss on the silver shifter’s cheek. “I can handle the cooking alone, Jeth.  I’ll get you when I’m done”, he hummed and pulled away, reaching over to the radio and turning up the music.

 

 Jethro took that as his clue to leave the man alone and went to the basement.  He stayed there until a voice drifted into the basement. “Jethro, I’m going to start eating without you if you don’t come.”  The silver shifter chuckled softly and put down the sander, brushing the dust off his clothes as he went up the stairs. “I’m coming, I’m coming”, he grumbled playfully, grinning up at his Tony.  Tony took Jethro’s hand and dragged him into a kiss when the older man reached the top of the stairs. Jethro accepted the kiss and wrapped an arm around Tony’s waist as the two shifters retreated to the kitchen, sitting down to enjoy dinner.

 

Said dinner consisted of lasagna with a side of salad and some garlic bread and was enjoyed in silence except for the clinking of silverware against porcelain and appreciative moans from Jethro’s throat at the sublime taste of the food.  Tony felt his face flush slightly each time he heard the moans, happy that the other shifter was enjoying his cooking. He didn’t consider himself a great chef, but he was decent enough in the kitchen.

 

 After dinner, dishes had been handled without talk, the two working together seamlessly.  Dishes were put away and suddenly it was time for Tony to leave. Tony hesitated in the doorway, his bag in his hand and his jacket over his arm.  Jethro stood behind him, placing a hand on his shoulder gently. “I’ll see you at work tomorrow, Tone”, he said, his voice soft.

 

 The younger shifter turned around to face him and leaned in, kissing him softly.  Dropping his bag, Tony wrapped one arm around Jethro’s neck and pulled him close. Jethro’s own arms slid around Tony’s waist, holding him in place until they both pulled away.  “Goodnight, Jethro” was whispered against his lips before the other man moved out of his arms and left the house. Jethro watched from the doorway as the brunet got into his car, and an engine was heard as Tony reversed out of the driveway and drove off towards his apartment.  The older shifter closed the door and locked it for once, not wanting another unwelcome visitor. Jethro turned off the lights as he went upstairs before stepping into the shower. Washing himself quickly, he quickly exited the shower and dried off before heading to bed. He lay down and closed his eyes, quickly drifting off to sleep.

 

*~*~*~*~*

 

 Tony unlocked the door to his apartment and walked in with a quiet sigh.  He left his go bag on the floor by the end of his bed as he made his way to the bathroom.  He turned on the shower and left it to heat up as he undressed and brushed his teeth. Stepping under the spray, Tony let out a breath of relief as the hot water cascaded down his body.

 

 Tony took his time washing his body, rubbing the washcloth down his arms and chest.  Running through the forest as a fox meant that dirt and dust had gathered in his hair and on his body.  The water felt heavenly as it washed away the grime of the forest from Tony’s body. Even though running through the forest had been fun, the cleanup was less than.  Tony had lost some weight ever since the explosion, but in the shower like this, it showed. He knew he should feel lucky Jethro hadn’t mentioned a thing about it yet, but he was aware that it wouldn’t last.  Jethro would notice, and he would worry. Tony was working out, but he wasn’t eating enough, and his slimmer frame was proof of that.

 

 Shaking himself out of his thoughts, Tony finished rinsing his hair and body before stepping out, turning off the shower.  He wrapped a towel around his waist and another around his head. He dried off before sliding naked into bed. He figured that he’d just shift again and therefore sleep clothes would be unnecessary.  After shutting off the lights and sliding under the covers of a bed short one shifter, Tony curled up and fell asleep.

 

_  Two foxes, one silver, one pearl platinum, chasing each other back and forth across a creek, jumping from one side to the other, dark before light.  Light before dark suddenly, darting off under the bushes nearby. They ran and jumped before the white fox suddenly jumped onto a rock and sat down, tongue lolling as he panted.  His tail curled around his body as he watched his silver companion approach him. Tony had never felt as free as he was right then, with his fox companion by his side, chasing through the woods.   _

 

_  The silver fox sat down next to his gray companion, his tail moving towards the one belonging to the other.  Tony answered by wrapping his light tail around the dark, yin and yang, night and day. The two foxes lay down on the rock, curled together and watching the water flow.  It took them a long time before they again moved, the silver barking to the white before they once again ran through the woods. _


	7. The Dream

_  Two foxes, one pearl platinum, one silver, chasing each other back and forth across a creek, jumping from one side to the other, light before dark.  Dark before light suddenly, darting off under the bushes nearby. They ran and jumped before the white fox suddenly jumped onto a rock and sat down, tongue lolling as he panted.  His tail curled around his body as he watched his silver companion approach him. Jethro watched his companion with a foxy grin and jumped up beside him. _

 

_  The silver fox sat down next to his gray companion, his tail moving towards the one belonging to the other.  The other answered by wrapping his light tail around the dark, yin and yang, night and day. The two foxes lay down on the rock, curled together and watching the water flow.  It took them a long time before they again moved, the silver barking to the white before they once again ran through the woods. _

 

 Jethro woke up with a slight smile on his face, it had been a long time since the last time he’d enjoyed a dream.  He slid out of bed and got dressed for the day. The dream had felt real, and he knew it was a sign that more things were to come in the next weeks.  He went downstairs and neglected breakfast, instead getting into the car and driving off. He stopped at his usual coffee stop and got his tar before heading in to the office.

 

*~*~*~*~*

 

 Tony arrived at work with a coffee, a spare, and a smile.  His dream had been pleasant and the weekend had been relaxing, leaving him loose-limbed.  His newfound happiness didn’t go unnoticed by his teammates either.

 

 “Tell us, Tony, what was her name?” Ziva asked with a slight grin, Tony’s happiness was sort of contagious.  Her teasing was answered with a grin from Tony.

 

 “Sandra Bullock. In Miss Congeniality 1 and 2.  It’s incredible what a weekend spent laughing and having fun does to the body and soul.”  With that, he sat down and turned on his computer.

 

 “You watched a comedy?  With a female lead?” McGee asked, looking up at the SFA with a teasing grin.  Tony merely shrugged. “Yes, McGeek, I can enjoy a good comedy with a female lead.”  With that, he turned back to his work, firmly ignoring McGee.

 

 After a few hours of paperwork, Tony announced he’s going out for lunch, and to his secret delight, Gibbs stood up and went with him.  They went to their usual haunt for food and sat down at a table for two in the back. After ordering, the silence remained until Tony spoke up.

 

 “Jeth, I had this dream last night. About us”, he said softly.  “I’ve had similar dreams over the years, ever since I first shifted.  They grew more frequent after I started at NCIS, but this is the first time I’ve had two dreams two nights in a row.”  Gibbs watched him silently for a few minutes.

 

 “What was the dream about?”  Gibbs noticed Tony’s gaze unfocus as the younger shifter thought back to the dream.  He thought he might have an idea what it was about, but he wanted confirmation.

 

 “There was this creek in the forest. You were chasing me, as foxes, back and forth across the water, before suddenly you were in front of me and running away, prompting me to chase you.  We chased each other back and forth for a while before I jumped onto a rock and sat down.”

 

 Gibbs interrupted him, continuing the story.  “Then I followed you onto that rock and sat with you.  My tail tangled with yours, we lay there together.” He smiled softly.  “We shared that dream, Tone.”

 

 Tony’s eyes widened slightly.  “Is - is that normal? I mean, between shifters, does it happen often?”  He watched Gibbs shake his head. “No, it’s not. I’ll ask my dad about it.”  Gibbs looked away, deep down he knew what was actually happening. A shifter had one true mate, only one who was meant for them.  And they shared dreams. No other foxes had appeared in Gibbs’ dreams. It was just the pearl platinum who had entered his dreams after he had reached his teens.  Never had he imagined he would find that fox in his subordinate, but he was glad he had. Finally he had the one man he was destined to be with in his arms.

 

 “You have an idea about what it means, don’t you, Jeth?  You have an inkling about why we share dreams”, Tony realized, watching the man in front of him.  Gibbs closed his eyes and nodded slowly. “Yes, I do. I’ve heard stories about dream sharing. You only share your dreams with one other, and I only know of a few shifters who met the one they shared their dreams with.  It has been said that these pairs are some of the most compatible out there. That they are meant to be together.”

 

 Gibbs stopped talking to let Tony absorb what he was actually saying.  He watched the brunet absorb the information, carefully keeping his own face calm and relaxed.  Emotions flitted across Tony’s face, before settling on an unreadable mask. “We’ll have to talk about this tonight, Jeth, you know that, right?”

 

 Gibbs nodded.  “I know, Tone. We’ll talk tonight over dinner.  My place?”

 

 “Sure.  After work, I’ll go home and change.  Want me to bring dinner?”

 

 “I’d like that, Tone.  Now come on, DiNozzo, back to work we go.  It seems there’s an endless stream of paperwork.”  Gibbs stood with a smile, watching Tony rise from his seat.  He considered reaching for the other’s hand, but they were too close to the Navy Yard, plus he had no idea if Tony would be okay with public affection even in places they wouldn’t be recognized as NCIS agents.

 

 “The reason you think there’s an endless stream of paperwork, Gibbs, is because you always put them off so you have to do everything at once when you have the time”, Tony teased with a cheeky grin.  “Just like Ziva and McGee. They always leave their paperwork to the last second, and that means I have to do all that paperwork for them.” He walked with Gibbs back to NCIS, and the two agents returned to their excessive paperwork to their paperwork in silence.


	8. The Soulmate

When the clocks on their computers ticked 4:30 PM, Gibbs looked up at his team.  “Go home, team. I’ve got a meeting with the director”, he told them and watched as the three team members gathered their things and left without complaint.  They normally clocked in so much overtime that leaving half an hour early once wouldn’t make a difference. Ziva left first, followed by McGee. Tony lingered for a moment and went over to Gibbs.

 “When are you going to be home?” He asked the seated agent, who was shutting off his own computer.

 “Why don’t you come over around seven?  The meeting shouldn’t last too long, it’s just routine”, Gibbs answered as he stood.  Tony smiled at him before turning to leave, taking the stairs.

 Gibbs went upstairs to Vance’s office for the meeting, looking out over the bullpen before he disappeared into the office.

*~*~*~*~*

 Tony locked himself in his apartment and went straight for the bedroom.  He laid out a pair of light-wash jeans and a pale green shirt that fit him well he would change into later.  After that, he made his way to the kitchen, deciding that instead of having takeout, he’d bring his own dinner when he went to meet with Jethro.

 He prepared the dinner, a quick stew that he liked to cook on his weekends off and then freeze.  He always made at least enough for ten dinners, which would last for several weeks considering their cases almost always had them eating in the office.  He did the same this time, but now instead of putting the dinners in the freezer, he just set them to cool on the counter. While he waited for the meals to cool, he ventured into his bathroom and looked at himself in the mirror as he began to undress.  He folded his suit and laid it carefully beside himself on the floor until he stood naked in front of the full-size mirror. Many would have thought him as narcissistic if they’d seen him stand in front of it, but that wasn’t even close to the truth. He had the mirror because, from time to time, he just needed to know he was actually still himself.  That he hadn’t lost anything of himself, that he was still Tony DiNozzo Jr., NCIS Special Agent and shapeshifter. That he hadn’t lost his smile, or his body, even though he lost weight.

 Tony closed his eyes and took a deep breath, and when he opened his eyes again, he was looking into the mirror and seeing a fox with light fur stare back.  He turned so his side was facing the mirror and he could inspect his own fox body. It was the first time he had really looked at himself as a fox and was fascinated.  The way he could make his tail move was astounding, how it could reflect his emotions: hesitant at first, but then curious and finally happy. He raised a paw and placed it on the mirror.

 He studied himself like this for a while before he pulled away and shifted back to human.  Tony left the bathroom and got dressed in the clothes he’d found before. Packing down the food into bags, he left the apartment and got into his car, driving the familiar route to Gibbs’ house, timing it so he’d arrive there at 6:55.

*~*~*~*~*

 Jethro parked in his driveway and went inside, going to the bathroom to shower immediately.  The meeting with Vance had been longer and more tedious than he’d hoped, and he was really glad that it was over.

 When he stepped out of the shower, he heard a car park outside.  He dried off and got dressed, going downstairs just in time to see Tony place eight Tupperware containers in the freezer, with two more standing on the counter with the lids off.  Jethro smiled as he walked over to the younger shifter and wrapped an arm around his waist. Up close he inspected Tony’s outfit more and found he really liked what he saw.

 “What’s all this?  I thought you were bringing dinner”, Jethro mumbled as he leaned close, pressing kisses to Tony’s neck.  Until Tony’s hand came up and pushed at his head. “I did. That’s dinner, over there.” He laughed and pointed to the counter and the containers.  “And these are future dinners for you. Or us. Whichever is most convenient at the time.” The younger man turned as he slid the freezer door shut and placed a gentle kiss on Jethro’s lips.  The kiss was answered happily and suddenly Tony was pulled flush against Jethro’s body. Jethro broke the kiss and chuckled as he pulled away.

 “Whatever this is, it sure smells good.  You’re spoiling me with all this food, I’m gonna have to put in extra hours at the gym if you keep this up”, the older shifter teased as he moved over to the containers and picked one up.

 “You just pop the lid, move the contents onto a plate and shove the plate into the microwave.  A few minutes should be enough. Little to clean up and a fast meal for busy nights, or when you just don’t feel like cooking.  It’s a lot cheaper than ordering in all the time too.”

 Jethro nodded and moved to get plates for the dishes.  He popped the first into the microwave and got the forks for them, smiling when he found that Tony had gotten out beers for both of them.  He placed the first plate in front of Tony and stood in front of the microwave, watching the other plate warm up. This earned a soft chuckle from his companion.

 “It’s not gonna heat faster just because you’re glaring, Jethro.”

 “Doesn’t mean I won’t try”, he mumbled as he removed the hot plate from the microwave and placed it on the table.  Sitting down, he looked at Tony. Jethro took a deep breath before he began to speak.

 “What I said during lunch, Tone… I don’t need to talk to dad about the dream sharing.  I know exactly what it means. A shifter has a soulmate. They appear together in dreams, always alone, always in fox form.  I’ve only had one other fox in my dreams. A pearl platinum one. I never thought I’d find one, as the pearl platinum foxes are some of the rarest fox shifters out there.  So I found Shannon and married her. I never got to find out if Kelly was a shifter. By the time they died, I had forgotten about the dreams, about this mysterious fox that I was meant to be with.  Until you knocked me down in that alley in Baltimore. After that, I began having the dreams again. Just like you did. I just never connected it until I saw your fox form. And it was confirmed by the dreams we shared.”

 Tony listened to Jethro talk, his plate untouched.  “Soulmate?” He whispered. Jethro nodded. “Yes, Tone.  Soulmate.” He smiled small as he watched Tony take in all the new information he’d just presented.  Eventually, the younger shifter’s face broke out into a smile. “Maybe that’s why all my dates have gone bad.  Unknowingly, my body has been working against me, since it knows you are the one for me.” He let out a laugh and began to eat, smiling at Jethro.  The older shifter just shook his head and chuckled softly, beginning to eat as well.

 After that, their dinner was enjoyed in silence, with Jethro washing the few dishes the cooking had generated.  Tony spent that time in the bathroom, showering before moving into the bedroom. The older shifter joined him there after his own shower, and the two shifters shared gentle kisses for some time before they both shifted to foxes, curled up with each other, and slept.


	9. The Case

_Two foxes, silver and platinum, in front of a roaring fireplace.  They were peaceful and calm, curled up with each other, light and dark.  The cabin was silent except for their breathing. Suddenly, there was movement to their left, and both foxes lifted their heads, looking towards the sound.  A window had flown open, and winds were howling outside. The silver fox stood, shaking itself. It walked over to the open window and jumped onto the windowsill, closing the window with paws and snout.  The light fox watched and curled up once again with his mate when the other joined him in front of the fire once more. Tails tangled together and both relaxed, calm and happy now that they could be together at last._

 

 Jethro awoke first in the morning and raised his head to look at his bed partner.  He realized the two foxes lay just like they had in the dream. He moved away from the other and shifted, the familiar white light enveloping him as he changed.  Getting out of bed, Jethro went to shower, stepping under the spray while it was still warming up. Not long after he had begun washing himself, he was joined by Tony, who took the washcloth out of his hands and used it on Jethro’s back, massaging lightly.  Jethro let out a low groan as Tony worked down his back. He turned around and pulled Tony in for a quick kiss before stepping out. He wrapped a towel around his waist and shaved before brushing his teeth. Another towel was used to dry his hair and body.

 

 Stepping back into the bedroom, Jethro got dressed before slipping downstairs to make breakfast.  He let a small smile graze his lips as he heard footsteps on the floor above. Jethro cooked breakfast for them, the coffee pot making the liquid gold he called coffee behind him.

 

 Coffee was poured and breakfast was served by the time Tony made his way downstairs.  Jethro had set the cream and sugar beside Tony’s mug, he hadn’t found an opportunity to get the hazelnut creamer the man was so fond of yet.

 

 Tony doctored his coffee to his liking with a soft hum before taking the seat opposite Jethro’s.  The shifters ate in silence, but their smiles were unmistakable: they were both incredibly happy and content right at this moment.  Tony washed the dishes while Jethro dried them and put them away, the two shifters working together in perfect tandem.

 

 Dishes out of the way, they moved into the hall to get their coats.  But instead, Tony reached out and tugged the older shifter into a kiss, his arms sliding around the other’s neck and holding on.  Arms wrapped around his waist and pulled him closer, their bodies pressed together as their lips slid against one another, tongues tangling.  Tony was pressed against the wall and Jethro moved his lips to his jaw and neck.

 

 “Oh, fuck, Jeth, I’d love to continue this, but we have to stop or we’ll be late for work.” Tony panted, his back arching just as Jethro found the spot on his neck that made him squirm.  Jethro sucked on the spot for a few moments, worrying it between his teeth before pulling away, soothing it with his tongue before pecking Tony’s lips.

 

 “You’re beautiful when you’re flustered like this”, he whispered to the younger shifter, smirking as he got his coat, slipped on his shoes and went outside.  Tony was left behind, struggling to catch his breath and gather himself. His eyes fluttered shut as he remembered the feeling of Jethro’s lips on his neck, making him shiver slightly.  Shaking himself, he grabbed his coat and followed his partner and mate out the door, surprised to find him waiting just on the other side, keys in hand. Tony smiled as he made his way to his car, but not before watching Jethro lock the door behind them.  The two got into their cars and drove off, neither man especially eager to get into work. Something in their senses told them that today was going to be bad.

 

*~*~*~*~*

 

 The team had settled into doing more paperwork when Gibbs’ phone rang.  The team leader picked up. “Gibbs.” “We’ll head out.” The phone was put down and the team leader stood.  “Grab your gear, we’ve got a Gunnery Sergeant murdered in his home. David, McGee, gas the truck, DiNozzo, with me.”  His discomfort was obvious if you knew what to look for, and Tony hurried after the team leader, joining the man in the elevator.

 

 “You okay, boss?”  Tony looked at the man next to him, and he ached to reach out as a partner and not a subordinate.  Gibbs nodded once. “Fine”, he muttered. He shared a look with Tony that said _not here._  Tony nodded, and the two settled into a silence that lasted until the two men, along with Ziva, McGee, Ducky and Palmer reached the crime scene.

 

*~*~*~*~*

 

 The crime scene was violent.  Gunnery Sergeant Marcus Hansen was sprawled out on his stomach in the middle of the living room, a large kitchen knife inserted deep into his back.  He had been carrying two beer bottles, both of which had smashed in the fall, leaving glass shards and spilt beer all over the floor in front of him.

 

 The local LEOs were standing outside the house with the wife, Mary Hansen, who was in tears.  Tony and Gibbs approached them, Gibbs talking with the LEOs while Tony went over to Mary.

 

 “Mrs Hansen, I’m Agent DiNozzo from NCIS.  I know you’ve already talked to the police, but I would like to ask you some questions.”

 

 Mary sniffled and wiped under her eyes, but nodded.  “Our fifth wedding anniversary is in five days”, she whispered.  “I know he was planning something special for us.”

 

 “I’m sorry for your loss, Mrs Hansen.  Can you tell me what happened?”

 

 “I - I had been out, to get groceries.  Marcus stayed home, he - he always did, he never liked to go with me.  When I came home, the door was open. I walked in, and - and there he was, just lying there.”  Mary choked out a sob, and Tony instinctively moved to stroke her back slowly.

 

 “It’s okay, Mrs Hansen.  We’ll find whoever did this to your husband.  Do you know of anyone who would want to hurt him?”

 

 Mary shook her head and hid her face in her hands.  “No, Marcus was well liked, he has, had, many friends.”

 

 Ziva was watching Tony talk to and try to comfort Mary Hansen, and she smirked.  When Tony left and went over to the body, she spoke.

 

 “At least let her grieve before you make a move on her, Tony”, she teased, grinning.  She didn’t expect the blazing glare, one to rival Gibbs’, she received for that comment.

 

 “Agent David, what evidence have you found that can help us solve this crime?”  Tony barked, before going over and helping McGee bag and tag. They quickly finished up at the scene, with Tony, McGee and Ziva taking the truck back.  Gibbs finished up with the LEOs and followed in the car.


	10. The Families

Back at NCIS, the team set out to work on digging into the Gunnery Sergeant’s life.  McGee dug into his bank records and phone logs, Ziva worked on his career as a Marine, and Tony talked to any family that lived in town.  Gibbs got back later than the rest of the team and sat at his desk, looking around at his working team. It didn’t take long for them to look up and realize Gibbs was waiting for what they had found.  The three team members rose and stepped over to the plasma, with Ziva going first.

 

 “Gunnery Sergeant Marcus Hansen was an exemplary Marine.  Rose quickly through the ranks up to Gunnery Sergeant, then stayed there for the rest of his career.   There are nothing in his file from the Marines that could warrant his death. No classified activity or anything.”

 

 “I spoke to his sister, Johanna Hansen.  She was very close to her brother, they’d had dinner at a restaurant the night before.  He was very well liked in his community”, Tony continued. “I checked with the restaurant, they confirm that the siblings were there last night.   They left in separate cars in opposite directions, according to a waitress.”

 

 “His bank records confirm it as well”, McGee chimed in.  “His last phone call was to his brother-in-law, Cal Hanscum.  Other than that, no suspicious activity on either account.”

 

 Gibbs nodded.  “Look into friends outside of the Corps, they might know more than they let on.”  He said and left, going to autopsy and leaving the three team members alone in the bullpen.  Tony sat back down by his desk, and a few beats later, Ziva and McGee followed his example and went back to work, picking up their phones and getting in touch with Hansen’s friends.

 

*~*~*~*~*

 

 Down in autopsy, Ducky and Palmer stood over the corpse, just about finished with the autopsy, when Gibbs arrived.  The two men looked up at the agent, and the ME smiled.

 

 “Ah, Jethro, perfect timing”, he said, straightening up and motioning for Palmer to take the glasses of evidence up to Abby.  Palmer did as he was told, leaving the shifter and the doctor alone.

 

 “Any surprises, Duck?”  Jethro asked, stepping closer.  It was rare that Ducky asked the young assistant to leave the room unless there was private business they needed to discuss.  Which apparently there were this time.

 

 “Only one, as it may, Jethro.  It seems that your Gunnery Sergeant was a shifter, like yourself.  I found minute traces of burgundy fur on his body. Otherwise, the cause of death came as no surprise to anyone, a deep stab wound that punctured his lung and severed an artery.”  Ducky said, looking at Jethro.

 

 “Nothing in his file suggested he was a shifter.”

 

 “Neither does it in yours, Jethro.”  Ducky looked at him. “That doesn’t mean he isn’t one. I sent the fur up to Abigail with Mr Palmer for analysis, but I am fairly certain that she will find it to be fox hairs."

 

 “Do we need to look at the case differently because of his shifter status, Duck?”

 

 “I highly doubt it, Jethro.  There is no reason to believe that his shifter status has anything to do with his untimely demise.”

 

 Gibbs nodded.  “Okay, thanks, Duck.”  He left, meeting Palmer in the hall outside autopsy.  They traded places, Gibbs stepping into the elevator while Palmer went back to stand beside Ducky.

 

*~*~*~*~*

 

 Gibbs’ next stop was Abby’s lab after picking up a Caf!-Pow for her, and he was greeted with a blast of loud music and a hug from the excited forensic scientist.

 

 “Gibbs, Gibbs, Gibbs!”  She said excitedly, dragging him along to the computer screens and taking the Caf!-Pow out of his hand.  “The knife, it had prints on it, that didn’t belong to either Mr or Mrs Hansen. It’s not in AFIS, and neither is the DNA from the beer bottles.  But they have to belong to the same person, Gibbs. And the DNA is close enough to be family of the wife.”

 

 Gibbs watched the plasma and nodded.  “Okay, Abbs. Have you found anything on the fur Ducky sent you?”

 

 “It’s fur of a Burgundy Gold fox.  I checked the DNA, and it matched Hansen.  Is he a shifter too, Gibbs?”

 

 Gibbs nodded.  “Ducky said it was very likely that he's a shifter.  And this just proves it.” He looked at Abby. “This can’t get out that he’s a shifter, Abby.  This result doesn’t play a part in the investigation, it’s just a confirmation of his identity.  Understand? This cannot get out to the public. We can’t even be sure that his wife is aware of his status.”  His voice was stern and made it clear there was no room for negotiation.

 

 “Yes, of course, Gibbs, I understand”, Abby said quickly, nodding her agreement.  “I'll call you when I find out anything more.”

 

 The shifter nodded and left the lab, going back to the bullpen.  He ordered his team to look into family members of Mrs Hansen.

 

*~*~*~*~*

 

 By the end of the day, nothing groundbreaking had been found, so Gibbs sent the team home, going with them down to the parking lot.  There, the four agents parted ways as they each went to their own cars, getting in and driving off, McGee and Ziva to their apartments, and Tony followed Gibbs to the house.  The younger shifter found the older with two Tupperware containers in hand, still firmly closed.

 

 “Jeth, are you alright?”  He asked carefully, stepping over and taking the containers from him.

 

 “He was a shifter, Tone.  Marcus Hansen was a shifter.”  Gibbs’ voice was soft and low, and he looked up at his partner with sad eyes.  “A Burgundy Gold one.” Tony straightened up when he heard the fur color.

 

 “Burgundy Golds.  They’re more common in Europe than over here, aren’t they?”  Tony moved the food onto plates and placed them in the microwave.

 

 “Yes, but still decently rare.”  Jethro turned and got out two bottles of water from the fridge.  The two men sat down and ate their dinners in relative silence, only filled with small talk that didn’t concern neither the case nor shifters.  Instead they talked about the weather, and about another possible visit to the cabin, or maybe a mountain if they find the time.

 

 Dishes taken care of and showers taken, the shifters curled together and fell asleep.

  
  _This time they were on a snowy mountain.  The silver fox was sitting under a tree, watching as his companion ducked in and out of the mounds of snow surrounding them.  The white fox was jumping happily, disappearing one place and reappearing further to Jethro’s right than the silver would have thought possible.  Suddenly the dark fox darted after the white, and they chased each other through the snow._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry that this is so late, but I was really busy today, and the chapter wasn't finished, and ugh.. But it's here now!


	11. The Suspect

The next morning brought a heavy rainfall to them, and as Tony slid out of bed, he glanced out of the window with a frown.  “Ugh, really? Rain, today? Was this forecast?”

 

 “Nope, it wasn’t”, came from his partner still residing in the bed, stretched out like a content cat. Or, fox shifter, if you will.  Jethro moved out of bed slowly and wrapped his arms around Tony’s waist, pressing a kiss to his neck. “Breakfast” was then muttered into the younger’s ear before the warmth on his back disappeared along with his mate.  Tony let out a chuckle and moved to the bathroom to shave.

 

 Joining Jethro in the kitchen after getting dressed, Tony smiled as he saw that a bottle of hazelnut creamer was standing beside his coffee cup along with the sugar.  “You went grocery shopping last night, but still managed to get home before me?” He asked the older shifter, who shot him a grin.

 

 “I bought it when I went out for lunch.  Personally, I can’t see how you can drink that in your coffee, but I’ll let you indulge.  I’ve noticed it’s rare you actually get the hazelnut, so I figured why not?”

 

 “Leroy Jethro Gibbs being nice before his first coffee?  It’s a miracle!” Tony teased, chuckling and placing a kiss on his cheek.  “Thanks, Jeth, I really appreciate the gesture”, he added with a hum before moving to doctor his coffee to his liking.  He then sat down, just as his companion placed two plates of food on the table. They shared their breakfast in silence and, while Tony washed the dishes, Jethro made the decision to hide Tony’s car keys, consequences be damned.

 

 Tony got ready for work and reached to where he had left his car keys the night before, only to find that they weren’t there.  “Jeth? Where are my keys?” He asked, turning to look at the older shifter with a cocked eyebrow. The man in question gave him a look that said ‘no questions’ and walked outside, waiting for Tony to follow him.

 

 “You’re riding in with me today”, he said as he locked the door behind them.

 

 “But what if someone notices?”  Tony asked as he followed Jethro to the older shifter’s car.

 

 “I picked you up, your car was at the shop”, Jethro shrugged as he opened the driver’s side door and ducked into the vehicle.  “Nobody will think twice about it if they don’t see us get out of the same car, Tone. Stop worrying.” Tony walked around the car and got in next to him. 

 

 “If you’re sure.”  Tony looked at Jethro, still a bit uncertain about it.

 

 “I’m sure, Tone.”  Jethro started the engine and drove towards the Navy Yard.  The car was silent until they were about halfway there, when the older shifter spoke again.

 

 “We need to dig deeper into the brother-in-law, DiNozzo.  We should bring him in for questioning.” It was clear to Tony that the silence had been in place because the both of them needed to think like agents and not like lovers, and if they could do that in the car, they didn’t have to adjust in the office.  The less chances they had at being caught off guard, the better. Abby was already suspicious, and that was bad enough.

 

 “We’ll put out a BOLO on him when we get to the office, nobody’s seen him since a day before the murder”, Tony answered, looking over at the man that had made the change from his partner to his boss in what felt like the blink of an eye.  At least when they’d gone in separate cars, he’d seen ‘Jethro’ at home and then ‘Gibbs’ first when he’d gotten to work. But watching the change was fascinating and intriguing, as Gibbs’ body posture changed as well as his tone of voice.

 

*~*~*~*~*

 

Reaching the Navy Yard, Tony went right up to the bullpen while Gibbs stopped by the coffee cart for the obligatory morning coffee for himself.  The younger agent put out the BOLO for Carl Hanscum, Mary’s brother and Marcus’ brother-in-law. Anticipating Gibbs’ next order, Tony began digging into Carl’s life and background.  When Gibbs arrived in the bullpen, Tony waved him over to the plasma.

 

 “The BOLO is out.  But boss, look at this.  Carl Hanscum, Mary’s older brother by five years, has a history of violent outbursts, all against people who have tried to hurt Mary.  Maybe he thought Hansen was hurting Mary. Multiple charges of assault, his family money always got him out of trouble.”

 

 Gibbs watched the screen as Tony spoke, and Ziva and McGee both looked up to watch the two men, a bit stumped that they hadn’t been invited over there as well to be informed of this.  Instead, they had been working other angles on the case and ignored. Their eyes met across the bullpen, before McGee shook his head, figuring things would go back to normal soon.

 

*~*~*~*~*

 

 It didn't take long for a call to come through, and soon McGee and Gibbs headed out to Metro PD to apprehend the suspect.  Carl refused to speak until he was left in the interrogation room alone, when he began yelling for justice.

 

 “Why am I here?  What are you holding me for?  And where's my attorney?” 

 

 Tony watched from the observation room alongside Gibbs.  “He hasn't seen me, has he?” He asked quietly, noticing how his boss shook his head.  Tony nodded softly and straightened out his suit and tie. He left the observation room and entered interrogation, taking a seat next to Carl.

 

 “Mr Hanscum, I'm Tony DiNoz-” he was cut off by Carl.

 

 “Oh, finally! Do you know what they're holding me for?” Carl huffed, tapping his foot against the floor impatiently.

 

 “They want to ask you some questions about your brother in law, Gunnery Sergeant Marcus Han-”  once again Tony was cut off by Carl.

 

 “I know he’s dead, that’s all”, Carl insisted, glaring at the door that was opening again to reveal Gibbs.

 

 “We have fingerprints that place you at the crime scene”, Gibbs told him and placed a paper cup of water in front of Carl.  “Drink. You must be thirsty from all the yelling you’ve done.” Gibbs was shot another glare as the cup was snatched and promptly emptied, before it was crunched in Carl’s hand and set back down on the table.

 

 “Are you charging me with anything?”  He asked.

 

 “No, not yet.  Just questions for now”, Gibbs told him, and opened his mouth to ask him a question when McGee opened the door.  “Boss? You’re going to want to see this”, he said. The team leader stood, taking the paper cup with him and shutting the door behind him.

 

 “Take this down to Abby, check the fingerprints for a match”, Gibbs said, passing the crumbled cup to McGee, who nodded and hurried down to Abby’s lab.  Gibbs himself moved into observation and watched Tony sit there beside Carl Hanscum, the man he was sure had murdered Gunnery Sergeant Hansen. Now they only needed the work from Abby to prove it.

 


	12. The Killer

It didn’t take long before both Abby and McGee entered observation to inform Gibbs of the results.  They stepped up on each side of Gibbs, eyes on the two men in the other room.

 

 “It’s his prints on the murder weapon, Gibbs”, Abby confirmed with a soft nod.  She looked into interrogation, where Tony still sat with Carl. “Why’s he sitting next to Carl?  Is he playing lawyer?”

 

 Gibbs nodded.  “He is. Hanscum assumed DiNozzo was his lawyer and began blabbering without being prompted.”  He went back to where Tony and Carl were sitting and sat in front of them. “Carl. What was your relationship with your brother-in-law?”

 

 “He was a jerk.  Didn’t deserve Mary”, Carl sneered.  “I’m not sad he’s dead. He was  _ cruel _ to my sister.”

 

 “We have no record of spousal abuse”, Gibbs told him.  “As far as we can tell, Mary loved him and he loved her.”

 

 “Marcus cheated on her, I saw him out on a date two different times with a woman that most certainly wasn’t my sister.  He was laughing and  _ happy _ with her, this  _ bitch _ that he cheated on her with.”  Carl’s voice was harsh and bitter, and it took all Tony had not to yell at him that the woman he had seen Hansen with was his sister and not his mistress.  He hated it when people jumped to conclusions and acted irresponsibly because of it. Had he simply talked to Hansen, this all could have been avoided. But he kept silent and played his part.

 

 “What happened last night, when you saw him out with this woman?”  Gibbs asked slowly, watching their suspect carefully as the man fidgeted in his seat.

 

 “I knew something was up, so I followed him from their house and saw him enter the restaurant, where that  _ woman _ was already waiting for him.  I watched through the window as they ate and talked to each other.  I was disgusted, so I left, going home to my apartment.”

 

 “Can anyone confirm your whereabouts from 6 AM to 8 AM this morning?”

 

 “I live alone.”

 

 “So that’s a no”, Gibbs said.

 

 “In essence, yes”, Carl confirmed.

 

 “When was the last time you visited your sister?”  Gibbs asked.

 

 “Two days ago, but she sent me away.  Said she was busy and didn’t want to see me”, Carl mumbled as he looked down at the table between him and the agent, his foot tapping nervously against the floor in the now silent room.

 

“So you decided to stay and stalk them.”

 

 “It wasn’t stalking!  I was protecting Mary!  I protected her from him, that’s why I did it!”  Carl snapped, glaring at Gibbs, who got to his feet.

 

 “You’re under arrest for the murder of Gunnery Sergeant Marcus Hansen.  You have the right to an attorney, can you not afford one, one will be assigned to you”, he said as Tony got to his feet and cuffed Carl’s hands behind his back.

 

 “What? You?  But you’re my lawyer!”  Carl struggled against Tony’s hold.

 

 “No, I never said I were, you never explicitly asked me if I was your lawyer, never did the word lawyer or attorney leave your mouth after I entered the room.  You made an assumption and began to talk.” Tony gripped his wrists tighter and led him out of the interrogation room.

 

*~*~*~*~*

 

 With the killer put away and reports written, Gibbs sent his team home.  Ziva and McGee packed up their things, and Tony played up his packing and moved slowly, letting Ziva and McGee leave the bullpen on their own.  He stayed behind and sat back down at his desk, watching as his boss remained seated by his computer.

 

 Their end of the bullpen was silent for almost half an hour before Gibbs looked up at Tony and nodded at him minutely.  Tony understood what he meant and stood, leaving the squad room for the parking lot as his boss finished up. The younger agent nodded to the security guard as he left the building, shooting him a small smile as he disappeared into the darkness of the night.

 

Gibbs found Tony leaning on his car when the silver shifter arrived.  Glancing around, both men were grateful that the place was deserted as the younger shifter reached out and pulled the other in for a quick and gentle kiss.  “Let’s go home”, he whispered against Gibbs’ lips before pulling back slightly, looking into his eyes. Gibbs nodded and pulled back, moving around the car to unlock it and get in.  Their doors slammed shut in unison, and Tony was quick to fasten his seatbelt, knowing exactly how Gibbs drove.

 

*~*~*~*~*

 

 Just like watching his partner change into his boss on their way to work, watching his boss change back into his partner on their way back to the house was equally as interesting.  Tony watched the other man on their way away from the Navy Yard, and he actually physically see the change happen. His shoulders lowered and relaxed, his grip on the steering wheel loosened, and the scowl he always seemed to carry in the office disappeared.

 

 Tony felt a change in himself too, from the special agent he was at the office, the role he played there, to the more relaxed and open person he was with friends and partners off the clock.  It wasn’t a conscious change, it felt natural and he never really thought about it happening, until he saw it in the man next to him. 

 

 Finally, after what seemed like an eternity of silence, the car was parked in the driveway of Jethro’s house.  The two shifters exited the car, Tony grabbing their bags from the back seat while Jethro moved to the front door, unlocking it for the two of them.  He even held the door for the younger shifter, who let out a slight chuckle and rewarded him with a peck on the cheek. “Not only did Leroy Jethro Gibbs buy me hazelnut creamer, he holds the door for me too? All in one day, I think I might faint from the idea of it”, he teased fondly, not surprised when he felt a light smack on the back of the head.  Chuckling softly, the two shifters entered the house and left their coats and bags by the front door.

 

 Tony smiled as he slipped into the kitchen to make them a quick dinner.  As he moved around in the kitchen, preparing their meal, he heard the other shifter retreat to the floor above.  Footsteps moved across the ceiling and the one floorboard creaked, revealing that Jethro had moved into the master bedroom.

 

 The silver shifter joined the pearl platinum in the kitchen for dinner when it was ready, his nose leading him in search for food.  They ate in silence, sharing soft smiles. With the dishes washed and cleared away, the two retreated to the bedroom, Tony practically falling onto the bed.  Both shifted and curled together on the bed, sleep catching up to them quickly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The dream will come in the next chapter, don't worry :)


	13. The Morning

_ Out in the forest, a clearing.  Spring had arrived, and with it, two energetic foxes.  Instead of chasing each other, they ran side by side, jumping over rocks and ducking under branches and bushes.  Far from civilization, they weren’t worried about being found by humans, or even other animals. Out here, they were completely alone and at peace. _

 

_  The silver fox, having gained a small lead on the pearl platinum, was suddenly tackled by what, to it, looked like a white furball, sending both foxes tumbling into the tall grass surrounding them on all edges.  The light fox barked out in pure happiness as the two rolled around, the dark fox ending up over the light one, who was now on his back. Sharing a look for a split second, the two foxes separated for long enough that the younger could get back on its paws.  They then faced each other, their snouts touching as green eyes met blue. Standing silent, the foxes didn't move until the wind rustled the grass around them, and then they walked, side by side, out of the clearing and towards more familiar grounds. _

 

Morning came for them too quickly for either shifter’s liking, and both simply refused to move away from the warmth of the other.  Eventually, Jethro very reluctantly pulled away to get out of bed, but his actions were halted by a surprisingly strong, white tail around his stomach pulling him back in.  The snout of the other burrowed its way into his neck and stayed there, claiming ownership of him and also telling him ‘I’m not letting you go just yet’. Jethro shifted around until the two foxes were facing each other and looked into the green eyes of the other shifter.

 

 Neither fox moved for a while before a light shone around the dark fox, and Jethro was lying in its place.  He moved Tony so the fox was sitting on his chest and slowly moved his hands along his fur. “We should really get up, Tone.  Work”, he said gently to the fox, who, in return, turned his head and playfully licked at Jethro’s hand. Chuckling, Jethro moved to sit up.  The fox on his chest scrambled for purchase on his chest as it slid down, landing on Jethro’s thighs with an undignified yelp, its tail on instinct curling around itself.  Jethro was faced with the glare of the fox before the familiar light once again shone around them, and his lap was suddenly full of a Very Special Agent Tony DiNozzo. The silver shifter was still chuckling, but was cut off as two hands moved into his hair and pulled him into a kiss.  Kissing back, he wrapped his arms around Tony’s waist and pulled him closer until they were chest to chest, which didn't take much.

 

 Breaking apart, Tony looked at Jethro.  “That was not funny", he grumbled with a childish pout, making Jethro let out another chuckle just at the sight.

 

 “Get a sense of humor, then, Tone, because it was", Jethro insisted, leaning down and pressing kisses to Tony’s neck.  In response, Tony arched his neck as his eyes slid shut.

 

 “Go shave, you're scratchy", he complained after a few moments, playfully pushing at Jethro's head.

 

 “You're the one who didn't want to get out of bed in the first place", Jethro reminded him as he pulled away.  “And you'll have to move away from my thighs if I am to be able to do anything at all.”

 

 Tony shook his head as he shifted out of Jethro's lap, settling next to him on the bed.  The silver-haired man slid out of bed and left to the bathroom without bothering with insignificant things such as clothes, leaving Tony with a magnificent view of Jethro's ass, thighs and back.  And Tony took that chance to watch him as much as he could. It certainly didn't help that he left the bathroom door open either. Shaking his head, Tony looked down to see that certain parts of his anatomy had gotten interested as well.  _ Dammit _ , he thought to himself.   _ Dead cats, grandma DiNozzo, blood, crime scenes, just please, please don’t let him see this. _

 

 Luckily, soon enough his erection flagged and Tony got to his feet, going over to his bag to find clothes.  He chose to go commando for no other reason that there was no way he was wearing the only pair he had left. They were too small, on the verge of downright uncomfortable.  But he kept them for the sole reason that, once they were on, they cupped him in all the right places.

 

 Dressed, Tony went downstairs to the kitchen to turn on the coffee maker and make them breakfast.  Turning on the radio to a music station, he moved his hips in time with the music as he cooked. the younger shifter couldn’t help but smirk when he felt strong hands on his hips, stopping him.

 

 “You’re very tempting when you move like that”, a husky voice whispered in his ear, making Tony shiver.

 

 “Take me out for dinner first, then you can have me”, he whispered back, taking the pan off the hot plate before turning around to face his partner.  He wrapped his arms around the other’s neck and leaned in, pressing a chaste kiss to his lips. His hands slid down Jethro’s chest as he pulled back, grinning at his partner.

 

 “Now let me cook before the food gets burnt”, he teased, pushing at the other shifter.  “You’ll have to wait longer if you keep distracting me like this.” The older shifter chuckled and pulled away, moving over to the coffee machine.  Jethro got himself a mug and poured himself a cup of the dark liquid. He also poured a cup for Tony, leaving room for the creamer and sugar his partner craved with his coffee.

 

 Soon, the food was placed on the table and the two companions took their seats.  Their breakfast was enjoyed in silence, the only sounds the scraping of cutlery on plates and the quiet sighs of pleasure after hearty drinks of their preferred coffees.  The dishes were taken care of in silence as well before the two made their way to the front door. Today, Tony expected it when his car keys were still missing and simply followed Jethro to his car, getting into the shotgun seat and buckling up.  They shared a soft kiss before pulling apart and out of the driveway.


	14. The Date

 Reaching the Navy Yard, the two agents stepped out of their vehicle and made their way to the security check in.  Tony nodded to the security guard as the two men passed him and made their way up to the bullpen. They sat down at their respective desks and turned on their computers, settling into their work.  They were soon joined by the two junior agents, who followed the same pattern and got to work, first and foremost spending some time booting up their own computers and chatting amongst themselves about their dinners last night and their partners, apparently Ziva had found herself a new boyfriend.  It didn't take long before Gibbs had had enough. “Did you come here to work or to gossip? Because if all you're going to do is gossip, get out of the squad room. You don't get paid to gossip!”

 

Getting yelled at by Gibbs was not a good way to start the day, and Ziva and McGee were a bit muted the rest of the workday, which suited both Tony and the team leader just fine.  With the day bringing with it no new case, Gibbs sent his team home on time. He himself stood and left with them, standing in the back of the elevator alongside Tony.

 

 The two shifters joined hands secretly as the elevator travelled down to the ground floor, and parted as the elevator doors opened and sent the four agents in three different directions.  Ziva to the left where she had parked, McGee to the left where he had left his car, and Gibbs and Tony straight ahead to, what the junior agents assumed, were their two cars. Instead, the two shifters walked as one to a single car, Tony slipping around to the passenger side as Gibbs unlocked the car and got behind the wheel.

 

*~*~*~*~*

 

 It wasn't long into the drive that Tony realized they weren't headed to Jethro's house, and decided to address as much.  “Um, Jeth? This isn't the way to your house… You're not kidnapping me, are you?” He asked jokingly, looking over at his companion.

 

 “Not kidnapping you, taking you out to dinner.” Jethro corrected, glancing Tony's way with a sly smile.  “Got us some reservations for a nice little italian place tonight, Tone. Figured we needed some time alone, and not at my place”, he said softly.

 

 “We’re going out?  But I’m not even dressed up for that!”  Tony argued playfully, knowing that, in his suit, he was probably overdressed for the establishment Jethro was taking him to.  But being taken on a date was not in his plans in this outfit. If he thought back to this morning, he remembered his words to Jethro: _“take me out to dinner first, then you can have me.”_ Now it made sense.  Jethro had been patient, but he was never known for his patience and, now that he had a list of things to do, compiled of probably two things, 1) take Tony out for dinner, and 2) take him home for sex, there was little to do to stop him.  Not that Tony wanted to stop him, ever since that first night he'd stayed he'd known what his ultimate goal was: a fulfilling and loving relationship with Jethro. And that included sex. Hopefully lots of it.

 

 Shaking his head, Tony focused on the road ahead of them and was determined not to think about sex during their date.  It might not even be the goal of the evening, Jethro could just have been looking to treat him to a nice dinner out. He let himself smile over at his companion and watched him as they made their way to the restaurant.

 

*~*~*~*~*

 

 Tony and Jethro stepped out of the car together and moved to go inside.  They were escorted to their table by a hostess and handed menus. They were left alone, and the silver shifter looked over the menu at his partner.  “I hope this is okay, it’s the best italian place I know”, he said, a bit timidly.

 

 “Jeth, I thought you knew? This is my favorite restaurant.  I know the owner, had you told me this was where we were going, I could have called and told them I was coming”, Tony answered with a smile.  He looked over at the waiter going past them and waved. “Tonio!” He greeted, smiling widely.

 

 “Antonio! We haven't heard from you in forever.  Mama would have loved to see you.” Tonio greeted and stopped by their table.  

 

 “Work, you know how I get sometimes.  Where is she today?” Tony asked, standing and pulling Tonio into a quick hug.

 

 “She's in the back.  We didn't know you were coming, Antonio.”

 

 “I didn't know either, until my boyfriend parked outside.  Tonio, meet Jethro, my boyfriend.” Tony turned to face his partner with a wide smile.  “Jeth, this is Tonio, he's the son of the owner, Francesca.”

 

 “Antonio!” Shrieked a voice from the back, and a woman about Tonio's age came from the back to give Tony a tight hug.  “Hey, Rosa.” Tony chuckled as he pulled back. “And this is Rosa, his sister.”

 

 “It's nice to meet you, I didn't know you knew Tony”, Jethro said politely from his seat, feeling a bit uncomfortable with the sudden barrage of people.

 

 “Known him?  He’s like our brother”, Rosa told him with a smile.

 

 “Rosa, Tonio, say hi to Francesca for me, okay?  For now, just give us two of your specials, with your best wine”, Tony said and took his seat once more, looking up at the two.

 

 “Oh, of course, she’ll be delighted to know you’ve been here”, Tonio said and left to take orders and deliver their order to the kitchen.  Rosa left as well to the back, leaving Tony and Jethro alone once more, and both men let out a relieved sigh.

 

 “Sorry about that, they're always that way.  But you can’t help but love them, they’re more my family than anyone I’ve ever had by blood”, Tony said with a sad chuckle.  Jethro leaned across the table and took his partner’s hand, rubbing his thumb across the back of Tony’s hand.

 

 “It’s okay, I’m sure they mean well”, he answered gently as Tony leaned forward and connected their lips gently.  Both pairs of eyes slid shut as their lips moved against each other, and didn’t open again until long after they had parted once more.  They chatted casually for a while as their legs tangled under the table, and soon Tonio returned with two plates filled to the brim with delicious italian home-cooking.  He poured the wine before leaving them alone to their meal.

 

 Tony noticed that Jethro was keeping his feet to himself as they ate, but as their plates were getting dangerously close to empty, the younger shifter felt a sock clad foot right against his inner thigh.  He barely avoided choking on his food and looked up at his partner, who met his gaze with a simple cocked eyebrow and a grin like one Tony had never seen before. If he looked closely into Jethro’s eyes, he could practically see the want in them, but also the laughter.  Tony shot him a playful glare and resolutely turned his full attention back to his food. He therefore ignored the foot that was inching closer and closer to his crotch until it landed right on top of his by now half-hard cock. Reaching down, Tony flicked right under Jethro’s knee, right underneath the patella, making the other man jerk violently and bang his knee into the table, which was luckily too heavy to be moved.  Tony hid a chuckle as he heard Jethro curse and the foot was removed.

 

 “That’s what you get for being a tease out in public”, Tony said casually when he finally looked up, grinning at Jethro.  “Come on, let’s pay and get out of here.”


	15. The Buildup

After the bill had been handled and Tony had gotten another hug from Rosa and one from Francesca, the two shifters made their way out to the car.  Once inside, Tony slapped Jethro's arm playfully. “Jeth, that was so unnecessary. I'll never be able to go back there without thinking about that.  You're such a tease”, he whined. Jethro just laughed in response as he drove out of the parking lot.

 

 “I don't think you minded as much as you claim you do”, he said after a while.  “At least, your body liked it.” Said with a grin on his face.  _ Smug bastard.  He's right, but he doesn't have to be so damned smug about it. _

 

 “Oh shut up.” Tony looked out of the window and was pleased to notice that this time they were actually headed to Jethro's house and not somewhere else.  He relaxed into his seat and leaned over to rest his head on Jethro's shoulder. Closing his eyes, he allowed himself to relax as they drove home.

 

*~*~*~*~*

 

 Tony had fallen asleep before they’d gotten home, but stirred and opened his eyes when the car engine rumbled to a halt and Jethro moved.  He looked up at Jethro, who was watching him with a fond smile. The silver shifter pressed a kiss to the top of his head before sliding out of the car, forcing the younger shifter to sit up.  Tony opened the passenger side door and stepped out of the car, following Jethro to the front door.

 

 As soon as Tony had closed the door, he found himself pressed against the wall beside it and a pair of insistent lips closed over his own.  Letting out a gasp, his lips parted, and Jethro’s tongue made its way into his mouth, searching out Tony’s tongue. Tony moaned in response and moved his hands up into the mop of silver hair, tugging lightly on it.  Jethro pulled back for a moment to look into Tony’s eyes, both their breaths slightly labored.

 

 “God, Jeth”, Tony breathed out, eyes flitting down to meet the icy blue he’d come to love and seek out.  “You’ve got some self-control.”

 

 “I didn’t touch you in the car, Tone.  Wanted to, fuck knows I did, but I kept my hands to myself.  But we’re here, we’re alone, and there are nothing and no one to stop us”, Jethro answered before kissing him again, pressing Tony further into the wall.  Tony kissed back this time, pulling Jethro closer and moving his hips to grind against his partner, eliciting a gasp out of the older shifter. This time Tony, seeking to establish some form of dominance, pushed his tongue into Jethro’s mouth and pushed away from the wall.  He turned them around and pressed his partner,  _ soon his lover, _ against the wall, never breaking the kiss.

 

 Jethro’s hands travelled up Tony’s back to his shoulders and pushed at his suit jacket, and Tony responded by tugging the jacket off and throwing it in the general direction of the coat stand.  The silver shifter’s hands then moved down to the waistband of his pants, tugging the shirt out before sliding his hands under the shirt, his blunt nails lightly teasing Tony’s skin as they moved up his back.  They parted to breathe and once again look into each other's eyes. The younger shifter moved his hands to Jethro's jacket, slowly, in a teasing manner, repeating what had been done to him. He moved his hands under the jacket on the other's shoulders and slid them towards his back, taking the coat with them and pushing it halfway off Jethro.

 

 They moved apart so Jethro could take off his coat and hang it on the coat stand, and Tony used the opportunity to remove his shoes and move into the living room, slumping onto the couch as his eyes drifted shut for only a moment.  The couch dipped and a pair of hands were suddenly tugging at his shirt insistently. Opening his eyes, the younger shifter found himself trapped by Jethro, who had straddled his lap and was apparently trying his hardest not to rip off the buttons in his hurry.

 

 “In a rush?” Tony asked breathlessly with a grin formed on his lips.  “We've got all the time in the world, Jeth, don't forget that.” He whispered as he reached up, pulling the other down into the softest kiss of the night.  “We shouldn't rush this, you know that.”

 

 “We can't rush the main event.  Doesn't mean I don't want to see you undressed.” Jethro shot him a grin of his own before his mouth moved to Tony's neck, kissing down his neck to where it met shoulder.  There, he bit down softly, making the pale shifter let out a soft breath. It was oh, so close to one of the most vulnerable spots on his body, and Jethro knew. Even closing his lips over a spot right at the base of the back of his neck would make Tony docile and submissive, as it did with all shifters.  And Tony knew that he'd let Jethro do that in a heartbeat.

 

 It was the ultimate sign of trust, to bare the back of one's neck to another shifter.  It was also a reason many shifters kept their hair long enough to cover that part of their neck, for protection.  It could easily be exploited by some shifters (and humans with intimate knowledge of shifters) to gain control over their targets.

 

 Tony shook off those thoughts and instead focused on Jethro, who had finally managed to unbutton his shirt and was now tugging it open, his hands moving to the planes of Tony's torso.  The younger shivered under his insistent touches, and arched up with a gasp as Jethro's fingertips ghosted over his nipples. “Jeth, please”, he whined, his head tipping back and baring his throat.  In response, the silver shifter moved his lips to his throat, kissing up and down the pale skin revealed to him.

 

 The kissing and exploring continued for a while before Jethro pulled back reluctantly.  “Not going to do this on the couch, Tone.”

 

 “Upstairs, then.  Now”, Tony insisted, pushing at Jethro’s chest to get him to extract himself from his lap.  Jethro complied and stood, leaving Tony alone on the couch. As he rose to his feet, Tony let the shirt drop onto the couch before he pressed himself against Jethro once more.  Their lips were connected as they made their way to the stairs, but for safety reasons, they parted as they ascended the stairs. Making their way into the bedroom, they shut the door behind them and Tony found himself pressed against a wall for the second time that evening.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this is the second to last chapter! It's been a fun ride, and I'll add to this story at a later time, but as summer approaches and vacations arrive, I'll have actually less time to write than I did while school was still around! But don't worry, this isn't the last we'll see of shifter!Tony and Gibbs!


	16. The Finale

Tony’s eyes closed as he was pressed against the wall, the sensation of Jethro undoing his belt buckle and opening his pants taking his breath away and making him shiver.  Tipping his head back against the wall, he felt lips against his jaw and neck. “God”, he breathed out. He felt more than heard the low rumble of a chuckle coming from his partner.

 

 “Jethro will do.” Tony groaned and halfheartedly swatted after Jethro, who wisely moved out of the way.  The younger shifter opened his eyes when his hand didn’t hit anything and was treated to the image of his partner undressing.  Unable to help himself, Tony stepped forward and reached for his belt buckle. Undoing it swiftly, he moved on to the button on Jethro’s slacks.  

 

 They stepped out of their pants and underwear as they moved towards the bed.  Tony fell onto the bed and looked up as he was joined by Jethro. Their lips met once more, and the younger moved his hands into Jethro's hair, holding on as he ground his hips up against the other.  Moans escaped them both at the feeling of their hard cocks rubbing against each other.

 

 Jethro broke the kiss and reached over to the nightstand, closing his hand around the bottle of lube in the top drawer.  Drawing his hand back, he sat up as he popped open the cap and used the liquid to slick three fingers. Tony bit his lip and shifted further up the bed, spreading his legs and wrapping them around Jethro's waist.  “Please, Jeth”, he whispered, reaching to pull him into another kiss.

 

 Their lips met as Tony was breached by one of Jethro's fingers, making him gasp in pleasure.  Jethro deepened the kiss, his eyes sliding shut as he slowly moved his finger in and out of his lover.  Tony moaned and moved a hand to Jethro's shoulder.  _ If that's one finger, how is his cock going to fit? _  He thought, before relaxing.  He knew Jethro wouldn't hurt him and spread his legs a notch wider, allowing the other to take control.

 

 By the time Jethro has worked his way up to three fingers, which takes a considerable amount of time, and a lot longer than Tony had anticipated, the younger shifter is squirming and keening underneath him.  At the first touch of Jethro’s fingertips against Tony’s prostate, he arched off the bed with a shout. “Fuck!” He gasped as he fell back down, his hands scrambling to hold on to the headboard. Jethro smirked as he watched him, the way Tony moved enticed him and made his erection seemingly even harder.

 

 “Jeth, please.  Don't wait any longer.” Tony's voice was tilted with a whine and his impatience was clear.  His cock was slowly leaking pre-come onto his stomach as his shaky breaths could be heard clearly in the silent room.

 

 Jethro complied to Tony’s wishes and removed his fingers from him before leaning over to the nightstand and rustling around in the top drawer for a condom.  He sat back as he opened the package, and stroked himself a few times before rolling the condom onto his length. Tony watched him intently, his breathing uneven and a bit shaky.  He was still a bit nervous, bottoming for the first time could be interesting. What Jethro had done until that point had felt heavenly, but fingers and a cock were two vastly different things.

 

 The younger shifter began to tense up as he overthought what was going to happen, and Jethro felt it.  He used his clean hand to stroke Tony’s hair gently as he leaned down, pressing their lips together softly.  “Shh, Tone, relax for me, love.” His hand travelled down to his side and he stroked it gently, feeling the tension slowly leave Tony’s body.  Jethro used his lube-slick hand to guide the head of his cock to Tony’s entrance before slowly rolling his hips, moving only the head inside before stopping, watching Tony’s reaction carefully before inching his way deeper, letting out slow and short breaths each time he moved further into him.

 

 Neither shifter moved after Jethro had bottomed out inside Tony, the younger shifter was breathing heavily and had his eyes tightly shut as he adjusted to the feeling of being filled in that way.  It took a few minutes before he opened his eyes to look up at his lover with a small nod, giving him permission to move.

 

 Jethro’s hips moved, slowly, agonizingly slow at first, and after making sure Tony was okay, they moved faster, but not harder.  He wasn’t about to hurt Tony. Not then, not ever. They moved as one, hips meeting and pulling apart, bodies grinding together before moving away only to come back once more.

 

 Too soon for either, Tony reached his orgasm with a long drawn out moan, and Jethro followed suit soon after.  They held still while they caught their breaths, and only then did Jethro pull out, remove the condom and toss it away.  He lied down next to Tony and moved to pull the other close when he was stopped by a hand on his chest.

 

 “I’m not going to sleep with this mess on my stomach”, Tony said with a chuckle that was still out of breath.  Jethro smiled fondly as he slipped out of bed and went to the bathroom, getting a damp washcloth. Heading back to the bedroom, he tossed it to the younger shifter before making his way back into bed, lying down on his side to watch his partner use the cloth to wipe away the semen on his chest before tossing it in the general direction of the hamper.  Jethro smiled warmly and lifted his arm, watching as Tony snuggled into his chest, just like they did as foxes. Before wrapping his arm around Tony, he pulled the discarded blankets up around them and closed his eyes, pulling Tony just a little bit closer. Three words were heard between them before they fell asleep.

 

 “Good night, Tony.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So that's it, this is the end of this chapter of their story! Thank you to everyone who has been with me through this entire process, with suggestions and praise and love for this story. Thank you to all the commenters, and those who don't comment, but leave kudos, and thank you to all who read this. Every notice of kudos and comments have made me so happy and eager to continue writing, not only for you, but also for myself.

**Author's Note:**

> As always, kudos and comments are appreciated!
> 
> This work will be updated once a week, every wednesday.


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